Forbes – Bringing Back The Demons

It’s impossible to talk about Dark Souls II without a discussion of Demon’s Souls.

In many respects, Dark Souls II is as much a sequel to From Software’s PS3 exclusive as it is to the original Dark Souls. If the two games had a baby, this hellishly difficult creation would be their demonic offspring.

In form and function, Dark Souls II feels much more like Demon’s Souls than it does Dark Souls.

The layout, the setup, the mechanics, the world design—all these things hearken back to the devilish outing in fog-shrouded Boletaria. There’s even a woman, the Emerald Herald, who levels you up in the hub area, almost identical to the Maiden in Black.

(The Emerald Herald intones this line each time you speak with her: “Bearer of the curse… Seek souls. Larger, more powerful souls. Seek the King, that is the only way. Lest this land swallow you whole… As it has so many others.”

The Maiden in Black repeats something similar, though I think somewhat more poetic: “Soul of the lost, withdrawn from its vessel. Let strength be granted so the world might be mended. Soul of the lost, withdrawn from its vessel. Let strength be granted so the world might be mended, so the world might be mended.”)
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I don’t often read Forbes, but this article was a treat and has encouraged me to pick up the Dark Souls series